The sultan said the politics of hate, including personal attacks and insults, should be avoided to ensure that the unity of the ummah remained strong.

“I hope there’s nothing that oversteps boundaries, like personal attacks and such in Terengganu during the state elections,” he said at an investiture ceremony of those awarded honours on his 61st official birthday today.

He said the people should return to lives of harmony and mutual respect after the elections.

On the state economy, the sultan said the state government should strengthen tourism. He said Terengganu had the longest coastline of beaches in Malaysia, with the potential for recreational vehicle parks being set up in Kampung Mangkuk, Setiu and Pulau Kekabu, Marang.

“The government also needs to step up community-based tourism to boost the income of the local community,” he said.

He called for efforts to monitor the island areas to ensure that they remain free of pollution. The government should tighten enforcement regulations and standard procedures to discipline those in the tourism industry, he said.